This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-254167, filed on Nov. 20, 2012; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Embodiments described herein relate generally to an illumination apparatus.
Conventionally, there is a technique for optimizing a spectral filter under an arbitrary illumination light environment so as to emphasize a difference in spectral reflectance between illuminated objects. If the difference in spectral reflectance between the illuminated objects can be emphasized, a difference in color between objects having similar colors can be identified.
In some cases of illuminated objects, the difference in spectral reflectance may be large among individual persons or objects. In the case of the illuminated objects having a large difference in spectral reflectance among individual persons or objects, it is difficult to uniquely determine a parameter optimized to the spectral filter.
According to an embodiment, an illumination apparatus includes a light source that emits at least two types of lights having different spectral distributions and a controller. The controller starts controlling of the light source. The controller sequentially performs switching-controlling of pre-set lighting-up patterns of the light source so as to switch at least one of a combination of the lights having different spectral distributions of the light source and a combination of intensities of the light source in response to the start of the control of the light source. The controller ends controlling of the light source after at least the switching-controlling of all the pre-set lighting-up patterns of the light source is performed.
The light source 101 emit at least two types of light beams having different spectral distributions according to control of the switching control unit 120. At least two types of the light beams having different spectral distributions denote that spectral characteristics of two types or more of illumination light beams are different from each other. For example, each light source 101 is a light emitting diode (LED) illuminant, organic electro-luminescence (EL) illuminant, a dimming-controlled fluorescent lamp, or the like.
The state where the control is not performed by the switching control unit 120 is set as a lighted-out state or a predetermined illumination lighted-up state. The predetermined illuminant denotes an illuminant used for daily life, work or the like. For example, the predetermined illuminant is a standard or auxiliary illuminant defined by Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) Z8720 or an illuminant having spectral reflectance of a representative fluorescent lamp defined by JIS Z8719.
The start control unit 110 starts controlling the light source 101. More specifically, in the case where the start control unit 110 receives a start signal indicating a signal for start controlling the light source 101, the start control unit 110 instructs the switching control unit 120 to start controlling the light source 101. The start signal is input according to user's manipulation using a switch arranged in the illumination apparatus 100 or a remote controller or the like for manipulating the illumination apparatus 100. In addition, the start control unit 110 acquires a state of the light source 101 of the time when the start signal is received and notifies the acquired state of the light source 101 to the end control unit 130. The state of the light source 101 is information indicating a lighted-out state or information indicating which one of lighted-up states it is. As described above, when the light source 101 is not controlled by the switching control unit 120, the state of the light source 101 becomes a lighted-out state or a lighted-up state of a predetermined illuminant.
The switching control unit 120 sequentially performs switching control of switching at least one of a combination of the light source 101 having different spectral distributions and intensities of individual light source 101 according to the instruction of starting the controlling by the start control unit 110. More specifically, the switching control unit 120 sequentially performs the switching control so that a difference in color perceived by a person is changed between first and second illuminated objects having different color, which are illuminated objects of the light source 101. The switching timing in the switching control is a time interval when a person can identify the difference in color between the illuminated objects, for example, a certain time interval of 5 seconds or the like. As the switching control is sequentially performed, the illumination of the light source 101 is sequentially changed into different spectral distributions. In the embodiment, a plurality of different spectral distributions which are defined in advance according to the use of the illumination are used.
The illumination of the illumination apparatus 100 according to the embodiment is used in order for a user to easily visually identify first and second illuminated objects, which have similar colors and are difficult to identify a difference in color under general illumination, by changing the difference in color with a plurality of illumination light beams having different spectral distributions. For example, like the case of no-cosmetic-applied skin (first illuminated object) and cosmetic-applied skin (second illuminated object), the illumination of the illumination apparatus 100 is used in order to identify objects which actually have different colors but are difficult to identify the difference in color under general illumination.
In this manner, for example, the spectral reflectance of the cosmetic-applied skin and the spectral reflectance of the no-cosmetic-applied skin are different among individual persons or cosmetics, and the spectral reflectance of the same person is different according to the portions of the face. Therefore, plural types of combination of the light source are set in advance. However, the user cannot determine which setting of illumination is appropriate until the user actually irradiates the user's skin with illumination light beams. Therefore, all the illumination light beams according to the plural types of settings which are set in advance are allowed to be checked by the user.
Herein, a method of obtaining illumination for facilitating user's identification of the first and second illuminated objects will be described. For example, in a U*V*W* color space, an equivalent color space such as the CIE 1976 L*a*b* color space, the CIE Δ94 L*a*b* color space, and the CIE DE2000 L*a*b* color space, or a CIE CAM02 color space considering adaptability defined by the International Commission on Illumination (CIE), the illumination is obtained based on a difference in color between the first and second illuminated objects. In the case of an L*a*b* color space, the difference in color is obtained based on color difference ΔE*ab which is a distance between two points, a distance between two points in an a*b* space, or a difference in a hue angle between two points in the a*b* space.
Next, a method of calculating the color of the first illuminated object and the color of the second illuminated object will be described. Herein, in the description, the case of using an L*a*b* color space is exemplified. The tristimulus values X, Y, and Z of the illuminated object are obtained by Equation (1) using a spectral distribution P(λ) of an illumination light beam, a spectral reflectance R(λ) of the illuminated object, and a color-matching function. In Equation (1), k is expressed by Equation (2). In addition, integral “∫vis” is taken over a wavelength range of visible light. Next, chromaticity coordinates in the L*a*b* color space are obtained from tristimulus values X, Y, and Z by using a transformation formula defined by the International Commission on Illumination.
Herein,
k=100/∫visP(λ)
The illumination which allows the user to easily identify the first illuminated object and the second illuminated object is set by combining a plurality of light source having different peak wavelengths and calculating a difference in color for each wavelength of the illumination which is to be generated, so that the combination having maximum difference in color is set. In addition, in the case where plural pairs of the first illuminated objects and the second illuminated objects exit, the illumination with respect to each pair may be obtained, and a plurality of representative illuminations may be obtained from the illumination obtained with respect to each pair by using a clustering method, a principal component analysis method, or the like. In other words, the appropriate number of representative illuminations may be configured according to the use of illumination, for example, so that a long time is not needed. Therefore, even in the case of the illuminated objects where the difference in spectral reflectance exists among individual persons or objects, it is possible to easily identify the difference in color by using at least one of the illumination light beams without the influence of the above-described difference in spectral reflectance exists among individual persons or objects.
The switching control unit 120 which sequentially performs the switching control of the illumination light beams ends the switching control and transmits an end signal indicating that the switching control is ended to the end control unit 130. The ending of the switching control and the transmitting of the end signal may be performed at a time when the a sequence of the lighting-up of the illumination according to the sequential performance of the switching control is ended, or may be performed at a pre-set time, according to a pre-set number of switching, or the like. Besides, in the case where an instruction for ending the switching control is received through user's manipulation, the end signal may be transmitted. However, it is preferable that the transmitting of the end signal be performed at the timing after at least one sequence of the switching control is completed so that the user can identify the difference in color with respect to the illuminated objects. Therefore, if the ending instruction is received through the user's manipulation before the one sequence of the switching control is completed, the end signal is transmitted after the one sequence of the switching control is completed.
Alternatively, if the ending instruction is received through the user's manipulation before the one sequence of the switching control is completed, the user's manipulation may be determined to be invalid.
The end control unit 130 ends the control of the light source 101. More specifically, in the case where the end control unit 130 receives an end signal from the switching control unit 120, the end control unit 130 ends control of the light source 101. At this time, the end control unit 130 returns the light source 101 to the state of the light source 101 notified by the start control unit 110. The state of the light source 101 notified by the start control unit 110 denotes a lighted-out state or a lighted-up state of a predetermined illumination. In other words, when the switching control process for the light source 101 by the switching control unit 120 is completed, the end control unit 130 returns the light source 101 to the state before the switching control process is performed.
Next, a procedure of a light source control process according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to
As illustrated in
The switching control unit 120 sequentially performs switching control of switching a combination of the light source 101 having different spectral distributions or intensities of the light source 101 according to the instruction of starting the control of the light source 101 by the start control unit 110 (Step S103). When the switching control unit 120 sequentially performs the switching control, the switching control unit 120 determines whether or not an instruction of ending the switching control according to user's manipulation is received (Step S104). In the case where the instruction of ending the switching control is received (Yes in Step S104), the switching control unit 120 determines whether or not one cycle of the sequential performing of the switching control is completed (Step S105). On the other hand, in the case where the instruction of ending the switching control is not received (No in Step S104), the switching control unit 120 continues to sequentially perform the switching control (Step S103).
In addition, in the case where it is determined that one cycle of the sequential performing of the switching control is completed (Yes in Step S105), the switching control unit 120 ends the switching control and transmits an end signal indicating that the switching control is ended to the end control unit 130 (Step S106). On the other hand, in the case where it is determined that one cycle of the sequential performing of the switching control is not completed (No in Step S105), the switching control unit 120 continues to sequentially perform the switching control (Step S103). However, since the instruction of ending the switching control is received, when the one cycle of the sequential performing of the switching control is completed, the switching control unit 120 ends the switching control and transmits the end signal to the end control unit 130. In the case where the end control unit 130 receives the end signal from the switching control unit 120, the end control unit 130 returns the light source 101 to the state notified by the start control unit 110 and ends the control of the light source 101 (Step S107).
According to the embodiment, in the light source 101 which irradiate the illuminated object with light beams so that the difference in color according to human perception is changed, since the switching control of switching to a combination of other light source 101 is sequentially performed, it is possible for a user to easily identify the difference in color with respect to the illuminated objects having similar colors. In addition, according to the embodiment, since the end signal is transmitted after one cycle of the switching control is completed, the user can check the illumination light beams corresponding to all the settings which are set in advance.
As illustrated in
More specifically, in the case where the switching control unit 220 receives an illumination selection signal indicating that illumination is selected by user's manipulation during the performance of the switching control, the switching control unit 220 stores information on the switching control, which is currently performed, in the storage unit 240. Plural pieces of information on the switching control may be stored in the storage unit 240. In addition, the information on the switching control may also be overwritten.
In addition, in the case where the switching control unit 220 receives an instruction of starting the control of the light source 101 after the information on the switching control is stored in the storage unit 240, the switching control unit 220 sequentially performs the switching control based on the information on the switching control stored in the storage unit 240. In other words, in the embodiment, since a pattern of illumination appropriate for the user is stored, the light source 101 can be lighted up with respect to only the illumination appropriate for the user after the storing.
Next, a procedure of a light source control process according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to
As illustrated in
In addition, in the case where the switching control unit 220 sequentially performs the switching control based on the information on the switching control stored in the storage unit 240, in the process of Step S103 or Step S203, the information on the switching control is acquired from the storage unit 240 and the corresponding illumination is output.
According to the embodiment, the pattern of the illumination appropriate for the user is stored, and the light source 101 is lighted up based on the stored pattern of the illumination, it is possible for the user to more speedily identify the difference in color with respect to the illuminated objects. For example, when the switching control is sequentially performed, the user selects a plurality of the patterns of the illumination of which the difference in color can be easily identified, and the user changes only the selected patterns of the illumination for comparison after the switching control is ended. In addition, for example, when the user is to distinguish between a cosmetic-applied skin and a bare skin, it is possible to select the pattern of illumination which is optimized to each portion of a face.
As illustrated in
More specifically, the classification setting unit 350 receives and sets the classification of illuminated objects of the light source 101 according to user's manipulation. Next, the classification setting unit 350 notifies the set classification to the switching control unit 320. The setting of the classification of the illuminated objects is setting the use of illumination. In other words, although a plurality of the different spectral distributions which is set in advance according to the use of illumination are used in the above-described embodiments, in this embodiment, the use of illumination is set by the user. In other words, since the illumination which the user can easily identify is different according to the illuminated object, the classification of the illuminated objects is set by the user.
For example, the combination of the illuminated objects is as follows. The first illuminated object is set to be a “no-cosmetic-applied skin”, and the second illuminated object is set to be a “cosmetic-applied skin”. In addition, the first illuminated object is set to be “oxidized fruit juice”, and the second illuminated object is set to be “before-oxidization fruit juice”. In addition, the first illuminated object” is set to be a “thinly-painted portion of a car”, and the second illuminated object is set to be a “thickly-painted portion of a car”. With respect to the illuminated objects, the illumination is different so that the difference in color according to human perception is changed. The user selects the classification of the illuminated objects among the “cosmetic”, the “juice”, the “car”, and the like according to the use thereof. In addition, the classification of the illuminated objects is not limited to the above-described ones. In addition, the cosmetic type, the fruit type, the paint type, and the like may be set according to more detailed classification.
The switching control unit 320 sequentially performs the switching control according to the classification of the illuminated object of the light source 101 set by the classification setting unit 350. More specifically, the switching control unit 320 acquires a switching pattern of illumination light beams corresponding to the classification of the illuminated object set by the classification setting unit 350 and sequentially performs the switching control according to the acquired switching pattern. The switching pattern may be acquired from a memory installed in the illumination apparatus 300 or may be acquired from an external storage unit via a network.
Next, a procedure of a light source control process according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to
As illustrated in
According to the embodiment, since the classification of the illuminated object received according to the user's manipulation is set and the switching control corresponding to the set classification is sequentially performed, the light source 101 can be lighted up with very appropriate illumination according to the use thereof.
As illustrated in
More specifically, the environment setting unit 460 receives and sets the environment where the light source 101 is used according to user's manipulation. Next, the environment setting unit 460 notifies the set environment to the switching control unit 420. The environment where the light source 101 is used is set according to indoor situation, outdoor situation, weather situation, or the like. The illumination which the user can select is standard illumination, which includes a standard illuminant or an auxiliary illuminant defined in accordance with JIS Z8720, a spectral distribution of a representative fluorescent lamp defined in accordance with JIS Z8719, and the like. For example, the user selects the environment where the light source 101 is to be used among the environments of the “light of the sun”, a “fluorescent lamp”, an “incandescent lamp”, and the like. In addition, in the case where the mirror 1 exemplified in the above-described embodiment is used, the illumination which is very appropriate under the set environment may be allowed to be requested in consideration of the reflection characteristics of the mirror 1.
The switching control unit 420 sequentially performs the switching control according to the environment where the light source 101 set by the environment setting unit 460 are used. More specifically, the switching control unit 420 acquires a switching pattern of illumination light beams corresponding to the environment where the light source 101 set by the environment setting unit 460 are used and sequentially performs the switching control according to the acquired switching pattern. The switching pattern may be acquired from a memory installed in the illumination apparatus 400 or may be acquired from an external storage unit via a network.
Next, a procedure of a light source control process according to the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to
As illustrated in
According to the embodiment, since the environment where the light source 101 received according to the user's manipulation are used is set and the switching control corresponding to the environment is sequentially performed, even in the case where the environment where the light source 101 is used is different, the light source 101 can be lighted up with very appropriate illumination.
Although the embodiments of the illumination apparatus are described hereinbefore, various forms different from the above-described embodiments may be embodied. Other embodiments according to (1) time of switching control and (2) configuration will be described.
(1) Time of Switching Control
In the above-described embodiments, although the case where the switching is performed with a constant time interval by sequentially performing the switching control is described, the time of switching by the switching control may be changed. More specifically, in the case where the switching control unit 120 receives an interval indication signal according to user's manipulation, the switching control unit 120 sequentially performs the switching control with a time interval different from the constant time interval. For example, in the case where the switching control unit 120 receives an interval indication signal indicating a time interval in the state where the switching control unit 120 sequentially performs the switching control with a constant time interval, the switching control unit 120 sequentially performs the switching control with the time interval indicated by the interval indication signal.
For example, in the case where the switching control unit 120 receives an interval indication signal indicating time extension in the state where the switching control unit 120 sequentially performs the switching control with a constant time interval, the switching control unit 120 sequentially performs the switching control with a time interval longer than the constant time interval. In addition, in the case where the switching control unit 120 receives an interval indication signal indicating time reduction in the state where the switching control unit 120 sequentially performs the switching control with a constant time interval, the switching control unit 120 sequentially performs the switching control with a time interval shorter than the constant time interval. In addition, the time extension or reduction of the time interval may be applied only to the switching control which is performed at the time of receiving the interval indication signal or may be applied to all switching control.
In addition, in the case where the switching control unit 120 does not sequentially perform the switching control with a constant time interval and receives a switching signal according to user's manipulation, the switching control unit 120 may sequentially perform the switching control. In addition, in the case where the switching control unit 120 receives a temporary stop signal according to user's manipulation in the state where the switching control unit 120 sequentially performs the switching control with a constant time interval or a time interval according to an interval indication signal, the switching control unit 120 may temporarily stop the sequential performing of the switching control. In the switching control unit 120 receives a restart signal according to user's manipulation after the temporary stoppage, the switching control unit 120 may restart the sequential performing of the temporarily-stopped switching control. During the temporary stoppage period, the illumination which is controlled at the time of the temporary stoppage is continuously performed. In addition, when the switching control is restarted, the illumination which is controlled at the time of the temporary stoppage may be performed, or the illumination according to the pattern of the restarted switching control may be performed.
(2) Configuration
In addition, information including a process procedure, a control procedure, specific terminologies, various data, various parameters, and the like written in the above-described document or illustrated in the drawings may be arbitrarily changed except for the case where the information is particularly written. For example, the classification of the illuminated object, the environment where the light source is used, or the like set according to the user's manipulation may be arbitrarily changed. In addition, the illustrated components of the illumination apparatus are conceptual ones, and thus, it is not necessary to configure the components with the same physical configuration as illustrated ones. In other words, distributive or collective specific forms of the apparatus is not limited to the illustrated ones, but the entire thereof or a portion thereof may be distributively or collectively configured with arbitrary units in terms of functions or physical configurations according to various burdens, use situations, or the like. For example, the start control unit 110 and the switching control unit 120 may be integrated as a “switching control starting unit” which receives the start signal and sequentially performs the switching control.
While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel embodiments described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the inventions.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2012-254167 | Nov 2012 | JP | national |